Registering and recording device for meters and the like.



l. S. DEMENT'.

REGISTERING AND RECORDING DEVICE FOR METERS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATIONFILED FEB. 28, I9I2.

1,165,578. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

9 SHEETS-SHEET I.

(ii/J 1, c 56 M a MIMVVM 49 I, s. DEMENT. REGISTERING AND RECORDINGDEVICE FOR METERS AND THE LIKE.

1 APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1912.

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whmw m k I S. DEMENT.

REGISTERING AND RECORDING-DEVICE FOR METERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. l9l2. V 1,165,578. Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

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I. S. DEIVIENT.

REGISTERING AND RECORDING DEVICE FOR METERS AND THE LIKE.

1 APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 19x2 a T r-: ILIN L Q N Q W in. J

I. S. DEMENT.

REGISTERING AND RECORDING DEVICE FOR METERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28,1912.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

'9 SHEETS-SHEEI 5.

l. S. DEMENT.

REGISTERING AND RECORDING DEVICE FOR METERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, I912.

Patented Dec. 28, 1915.

9 SHEETSSHEET 6.

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REGISTERING AND RECORDING DEVICE F05 METERS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATIONFILED FEB. 28, 1912.

1,165,578. Patented DEC. 28, 1915.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 7- I. S. DEMENT.'

REGISTERING AND RECORDING DEVICE FOR METERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28. I912.

1,165,578. I v Pa tented Dec. 28, 1915.

9 SHEEISHSHEET e.

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iva c1 a 5 M I. s. DEMENT.

REGISTERING AND RECORDING DEVICE FOR METERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28.19I2.

1,165,578. Patentd Dec. 28, 1915.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9.

F .15 A C D E McturNo. Present Reading Amt. Used RegularBill Discqunted0 1 2 0 o 0 OO4I6O O O 6 O O 0 O6000$OO6.0UO5.7O

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ISAAC S. DEMEN'I, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

REGISTERING AND RECORDING DEVICE FOR METERS AND THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ISAAC S. DEMENT, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois (whosepost-office address is 325 Dearborn street, Chicago, Illinois), have 1nvented an Improvementin Registering and Recording Devices for Meters andthe like, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawlngs 1s a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to registering and recording devices used inconnection with gas, electricity or other meters for the measurement ofservice, and among other o'b ects provides a device which is simple incon struction, efficient in operation and capable of economicalmanufacture.

The character of the invention may be best understood by reference tothe following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof shown inthe accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective View showing the exterior of a casinginclosing a mechanism shown herein as embodying the nvention; F ig. 2 1sa horizontal section directly beneath the top of the casing showing aplan view of the mechanism contained in the casing; Fig. 3 is a verticaltransverse section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a similar viewshowing parts in different positions; Fig. 5 is a detail view to bereferred to; Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on line 66 ofFig. 2; Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on line 77 of Fig. 2; Fig. 8is a sectional detail taken on line ,88 of Fig. 7; Fig. 9 is a verticalsection taken on line 99 of Fig. 3; Fig. 10 is a horizontal sectiontaken on line 10 10 of Fig. 3; Fig. 11 is a sectional detail taken online ll-11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11 showing theparts in different positions; Fig. 13 is a sectional detail taken online 1313 of Fig. 2; Fig. 14 is a "iew similar to Fig. 13 showing theparts in different positions; Fig. 15 shows an illustrative record sheetused in connection with the machine; and Figs. 16 and 17 are details ofwheels to be referred to.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrative machine shown therein asembodying the invention comprises a casing 1 (Fig. 1), adapted to besecured to a usual meter. and containing a registering mechanism includ-Specificationof Letters Patent. Application filed February 28, 1912.Serial No. 680,481.

ing register wheels (Fig. 2.), each prefer= ably comprising a numerallug sheet metal member and a flanged sheet metal member having carryingapertures therein and of the general construction described and set torepresent the number of the meter in connection with which the machineis used;- group B, comprising sight wheels 3 driven from the meter ashereinafter described and adapted to continuously present a readingcorresponding to that ofthe meter and visible through apertures 5 (seeFig. 5) in the casing; and record making wheels 7 herein alternatingwith said sight Wheels and adapted to remain normally stationary and beset at times to with said sight wheels so that a record can be takentherefrom on one sheet of both the present and last previous readings ofthe meter; group C, comprising meter driven wheels representing theamount or quantity of gas, electricity or other service measured betweenthe present and lastreadings group D, comprising meter driven wheelsrepresenting the costof the service represented in E, comprising meterdriven Wheels repre-= senting the discount cost of the service reprelsented by group C.

As shown herein, all of the above detion as groups by wider washers 15;and

groups A and B are spaced from said end plates 11 by washers 17. GroupsA, C, D and E are loosely mounted directly on shaft Patented'Dec. 28,1915.

quantity by group C; and group 9, whereas group B is loosely mounted onf a long ratchet toothed sleeve 19 fast on said shaft 9. This sleeve hasa main function more fully hereinafter described, but incidentallyextends beyond said group B in opposite directions and holds groups Aand C properly spaced from group B.

As stated, the sight wheels 3 of the B group, and groups C, D and E aredriven by the meter. To so drive these there may be provided a shaft 21(Figs. 2, 3, 4, 9 and 10) extending vertically upwardly into the i 90 Iscribed groups of wheels are loosely mounted casing substantially midwaybetween the ends thereof, said shaft being journaled in a bearing in aframe member 23 extending from end to end of the machine and securedslide downwardly into engagement with and conform to the position of thecorresponding meter pinion. Fast on the upper end of the shaft 21 is aworm 31 for driving a worm wheel 33 loosely mounted on a horizontalshaft 35 journaled in bearings in the end plates 11 and having offsetbends 37 constituting cranks on said shaft opposite the register wheelgroups B, C, D and E. To transmit step-by-step .movements from saidshaft cranks to the wheels of said groups there may be provided arms 39conveniently, stamped, of sheet metal, and having 'ends apertured toreceive said cranks and opposite free ends provided with comb teeth ofdifierent lengths for engagement with the numeral bearing lugs on saidwheels to advance the same, and adapted to drop into peripheralapertures in said wheels to carry from a wheel of lower denomination toone of higher denomination in the usual manner. To prevent contact ofsaid teeth with said numeral bearing lugs on retreating movements ofsaid arms and thereby prevent liability of disturbing said wheels andprevent wear on said numerals or lugs, each of said arms may be providedwith spurs 41 (Figs. 11, 12,113 and 14) conveniently incised and bentdown out of the sheet metal of said arms and adapted to engage andwipeover fulcra .43'incised out of and bent up from a horizontal frame saidwheels and advance the same.

plate 45 extending between and secured to the end plates 11 referred to.In the course of vthe rotation of said cranks in a clockwise direction(Fig. 14) they will bring the arm spurs down into engagement with saidfulcra 43 and as the arms are retreated in readiness to advance saidwheels new steps, said spurs will wipe over said fulcra and the, freecomb ends of said arms will be rocked up out of engagement with saidnumeral lugs. On the forward movements of said arms their spurs will belifted by said cranks'up out of engagement with said fulcra and the combteeth thereof will be free to drop down into engagement with Tocontribute to the control of said arms during their movements, guides 47are provided projecting upwardly from the fulcra carrying plate 45referred to, through elongated apertures 49 in said arms. To preventoverthrow of said register-wheels and contribute to the accurate stepadvance thereof, spring detents 51 may be provided having V shaped freeends for yielding enga ement with shoulders formed between a jacentnumeral lugs and having opposite endsfixed to the ribbon-like framemember 28 extending between and secured to the end plates 11 referredto.-

It will be recalled that worm wheel 33 was described as, loose on theshaft 35. To transmit rotation from said wheel to said shaft, said wheelis provided with a driving lug 55 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) projecting from aface of said wheel and adapted to engage with an arm 56 projectingradially from a disk 57 fast on said shaft. This construction permitsthe shaft 35 to be turned, as more fully hereinafter described, toadvance its arm 56 temporarily a predetermined distance. ahead of theworm wheel driving lug 55 to prevent rotation of the crank shaft andpermit the register-wheels to remain stationary temporarily during arecord taking operation. In the meantime the worm wheel lug (under thecontinuous rotation of said worm wheel by the meter) is overtaking orcoming up again into driving engagement with said arm 56. Havingdescribed the mechanism contained in the fixed casing including theregister-wheels and the means for advancing the same step-by-step from ameter, I will now describe means for taking a record from saidregister-wheels. As shown herein, this means performs broadly asuccession of record taking steps effected in sequence by a handle orkey 58 applied to the machine. For the sake of economy preferably eachindividual fixed casing is not provided with a record taking mechanism,but a single portable record taking mechanism is provided in a casingseparate from that described and adapted for progressive application toany number of such fixed registers. The handle referred.tofor-efiectin'g the series of operations for taking a record preferablyis not applied to' the portable casing, but rather to the fixed casingas more fully hereinafter described. To permit the introduction of theportable casing to the fixed casing. the latter is made sufiicientlylarge to provide a space beneath the registering wheels. This space isnormally closed by a door 59 (Figs. 3 and 4) hinged at its lower end tosaid casing and yieldingly pressed into closed position (Fig. 4) by aspring 61. To maintain this door, normally locked except on recordtaking operations a bell crank dog is provided, pivoted on a pin 65carried by one of the end plates 11 and having a locking arm is providedwith a boss 73 containing a key hole 75 registering with a hole 77 inthe machine casing, said key-hole being adapted to receive said handlefor effecting the imprinting steps referred to. After the handle isinserted in the key-hole 75, the initial rotation of said handle willrotate the cam 69 from its position shown in Fig. 4: to that shown inFig. 3, thereby rocking the bell crank lock dog and lifting its arm 63up out of engagement with the door 59. This will permit the door to berocked against the resistance of its spring to its open position shownin Fig. 3, as more fully hereinafter described. The initial rotation ofthe handle is also utilized to effect other operations referred tobelow.

To advance the crank shaft arm 56 referred to ahead of the worm wheeldriving lug .55 to move the register-wheel actuating arms up out ofengagement with said wheels to permit the latter to be reset and toprevent actuation thereof While being struck by printing platens to bedescribed, there is provided a partially toothed pinion 81 (Figs. 2

and 6) fast on an end of the crank shaft 35 referred to, saidgear beinglocated in the space between one of the end plates 11 and the casing.Coiiperating with said partially toothed gear is a larger partiallytoothed gear 83 also located in said space and mounted fast on a shaft85 jo-urnaled in said end plates and extending across the machine toreceive and be driven at the opposite side of the machine by a gear 87(Fig. 7) fast on said shaft and driven in turn by a smaller gear 89 faston'the key-hole containing boss 73 referred to. By this construction theinitial rotation of the handle will cause the rotation of the gear 89and the large partially toothed gear 83, and in case the teeth of theDartiallv toothed pinion 81 are in mesh with those of the gear 83 (asshown in Fig. 6), rotation Will be imparted thereto and to the crankshaft 85. This will advance the crank arm 56 ahead of the worm wheel lug55 and move the teeth of the register wheel actuating arms up out ofengagement with said wheels. The arm 56 will be advanced ahead of theworm wheel driving lug 55 a sufficient distance to provide a suflicientperiod in which to complete imprinting operations, hereinafterdescribed, before the Worm wheel will be driven by the meter asuiiicient distance to causethe lug 55 to overtake and again come intodriving engagement with. the arm 56. r

In the event that at the time of making the record taking operations theregisterwheel actuating arms are already up out of engagement with saidregister-wheels or are not about to advance the same an increment, itwill not be necessary to advance the crank arm 56 ahead of the wormwheel driving lug 55. At such a time the smooth portion of the crankshaft partially toothed pinion will be opposite the gear 83 and rotationof the latter will be ineffective to impart rotation to said pinion.Thus the partially toothed pinion 81 will be rotated during some recordtaking operations, but not during others, depending on the positions ofthe registerwheel actuating arms at the time of taking the record.

To determine the commencement and completion of the series of. recordtaking steps the wheel 87 is'provided with an arcu-ate slot 87 adaptedto receive a stop pin 91 projecting from the face of a resilient arm 93having one end secured to one of the end plates 11 and its opposite orfree end provided with a release button 95 normally pressed by theinherent resilience of said spring through an aperture in the casing andaccessible for operation from the exterior of said casing.

Before the casing door can be unlocked or any other operations effectedby said handle it is necessary to press said button 95 to depress thestop pin 91 from the slot 8'2". The gear 87 may then be rotated by thehandle actuated gear 89'. In the course of the rotation of the 87 theend of the stop pin 91 will contact with and wipe along the face of saidgearuntil the slot 87 again reaches said pin, whereupon the latter,under the action of the spring 93, will enter said slot and again engagethe end of said slot and stop further rotation of the wheel, therebyautomatically marking the completion of the operations to be effected bythe handle. The handle 58 referred to has a key or rib for insertioninto a similarly shaped slot in the key hole aperture of the casing,said rib being interrupted so that the handle can not be removed fromthe key hole until it has returned to the position which it had on insertion.

While the printing mechanism is contained in a portable casing separatefrom that containing the registering mechanism, yet it isfoundconvenient toactuate or drive the printing mechanism from the fixedcasing. To transmit the drive to the printing mechanism by the handlethere are provided fast on the shaft 85 two gears 97 (Figs. 3 and 4)located adjacent the inner sides of the end plates 11. These gears drivesimilar gears 99 mounted on stud shafts 101 carried by the end plates11.

Having described the registers, the means for driving the same from ameter; the lock 103. 'record sheet contained in said 40 control of thecasing door; the provision for lifting the driving claws up from theregister wheels, and the mechanism for transmitting the drive from thehandle to the printing mechanism, I will now describe the latter, havingmore particular reference to Figs. 3 and 4. This mechanism comprises aportable casing 103 conveniently divided into a compartment 105constituting a record sheet magazine and a compartment 107 containingthe record taking mechanism, the latter compartment being open at thetop and at one end. To receive the record sheet a tray or pocket 109 isprovided, comprising a table 111. of sheet metal having one end securedto a hinge shaft 113 extending across the casing into elongated slots115 to'permit the tray to be fed a line space, as more fully hereinafterdescribed. To retain the record sheet in place said table 111 isprovided with a cover 117 hinged at 118 to the opposite or free end ofsaid table, and having an upturned lip 119 to facilitate theintroduction of the record sheets under said cover. To yieldingly holdsaid'tray in a horizontal position and retard feeding movements thereofthere may be provided a wide leaf spring 121 having one end Figs. 3, 4and 10) fast to a ribbon block 123 riveted or'otherwise secured to thebottom of the casing. 103 and having its free'end inclining toward thefree end of the record sheet receiving tray 109,- said spring tending torock said table on the shaft 113 as a fulcrum, upward movement thereofbeing limited by the engagement of the side edges of said tray withinturned flanges 124 of said portable casing To permit the platens tostrike a pocket the table 111 and cover 117 are provided withregistering apertures 125 v(Fig. 10) corresponding to the printingwheels of the registe'r groups A, B, C, D andlEr To strengthen andstiffen said tray and cover the sheet metal thereof is bent at the sidesof said apertures to provide stiffening ribs 127. To look the portablecasing into the fixed casing and prevent interference by said ribs withthe insertion of the portable casing into "the fixed casing, as morefully hereinafter described, the cover 117 is pr'ovidedwith side guides129 having abrupt shoulders, and inclines 131 tapering gradually towardthe free ends of the record sheet receiving table. To take a record fromthe registerwheels a series of platens is provided herein in the form ofhammers 133 having ends pivoted on a shaft 135 extending across andfixed to the sides of the portable casing and free upturned ends 137having platen faces 139 of rubber or other suitable material. To controlthe movements of these hammers they are provided with heels 141 pressedinto engagement with a cam.l43 by leaf springs 145 having ends fixed tothe block 123 referred to and free ends for engagement with said heels.

In taking a record an imprint is made preferably in one line from themeter number of the wheels of the group A, from the normally stationaryprinting wheels of the group B, and from the amount, cost anddiscountcost groups C, D and E. The present reading of the wheels of the Bgroup, continuously advanced from the meter, is then transferred tosaid. normally stationary wheels, and on a different line is printedmerely the present reading of the meter.

Thus it will be apparent that all of the printing hammers must beactuated to'print the first line referred to and merely those hammersopposite the printing wheels of the B group for printing the'se'condline referred to. To operate the hammers in this manner the cam 143 isprovidedv with a long notch 14 7 extending the length of the cam foroperating the hammerfsto print the long line, and a short notch I149extending a portion of the length of saidcam for operating engage andagain press the heels of said hammers down against the resistance oftheir springs until the short notch 149 reaches the heels of the hammersof the B group, whereupon said hammers will be released and forced bytheir springs again toward the register-wheels to print the short linereferred to. To maintain said hammers in proper spaced relation a doubleguide 151 may be provided secured to the block 123 and having long legs153 near the hammer shaft and short legs 155 near the free ends of saidhammers. It will be observed directly beneathth is guide 151. .As a re--sult the movements of said springs will be limited by said guide andwillnot follow the .liammers throughout their imprinting strokes. As aresult the platens of the ham*- 5 mers will strike the wheels withclean,quick blows. and will be free to rebound quickly away from said wheels.I v To rotate the cam to effect the long and short line imprintsdescribed there are provided fast on the cam shaft adjacent theendsthereof, gears 157 (Figs. 3, 4 and 10) that the hammer actuatingspring are and meshing therewith gears 159 retained by f caps 161 onstud shafts carried by the portable casing 103. To make certain that therecord sheet receiving tray. 109 referred to is properly positionedprior to printing the long line referred to and to feed said tray a linespace prior to printing the short line referred to, said tray isprovided with positioning means, herein comprising arms 163 dependingfrom said tray at the opposite ends thereof in line with the points ofmeshing engagement of the cam actuating gears 157 and 159. Arms 163 arepositioned to be in the path of travel of Wrist pins, about to bedescribed. To make sure that the tray is in proper position to print thelong line, the gears 157 are provided with wrist pins 165 projectingfrom faces thereof and so positioned that shortly previous to thearrival of the cam notch 147 at the hammer heels 1419 for printing thelong line, said pins will have moved in a clock-wise direction throughan arc of 90 degrees from their positions shown in Fig. 41 and in thecourse of this movement will engage the right hand one of the verticaledges of said arms 163 (indicated bybroken lines as back of cam 143),and make certain that the tray is in position for the printing of thelong line.

To move the record sheet receivingtray a distance corresponding to theline space between the short and long lines printed, the cam actuatinggears 159 are provided with similar pins 167 projecting from the facesof said gears and so arranged that during interval while the cam 143 isbeing turned from the long notch 147 to the short notch 149 the pins 167will engage edges of the arms 163 and move the record sheet receivingtray 109 to the right of Fig. A a distance corresponding to a line spaceso that when the hammer heels are released by the short cam notch therecord sheet will have been placed automatically in proper position toreceive the short line imprint.

As stated, the portable casing is adapted to be introduced through thedoor 59 of the fixed casing before effecting a record taking operation.To guide the portable casing and properly position the same in the fixedcasing the latter is provided with lower guides 169 adapted to entergrooves 170 in the portable casing, inward movement of the latter beinglimited by end stops 17 0.

, After the door lock 63 is released the portable printing unit casingmay be presented to said door and on pressure will force said door infrom its position shown in-Fig. 41 to its open position shown in Fig. 3,and on continued insertion, its open end will engage the end stops 17 0and the cam actuating gears 159 will come into mesh with thetransmission gears 99 carried in said fixed casing as shown in Fig. 3.The record sheet receiving pocket and platen hammers may then becontrolled through the train of mechanism contained in the fixed casingfor driving the gears 99 by the operating handle referred to.

As previously stated', the sight Wheels of i or after the taking of arecord it is desir able to automatically return said groups to zeroafter taking a record therefrom. To this end each of the wheels of theC, D and E groups is provided with reset means herein comprising (Figs.13 and 1 1) a reset pawl 171 pivotally mounted within each wheel andpressed by a spring 173 toward the wheel carrying shaft 9 referred to,said shaft being provided with a notch or tooth 1741 extendinglongitudinally thereof as shown in Letters Patent No. 1,070,427, grantedto me August 19, 1913. As stated, the wheels of these groups areadvanced step-by-step from the meter through the inst-rumentality of thecrank arms 39 while the shaft 9 is, normally stationary. As a result,the pawls 171 will wipe around the staft and over the notch 17 1 withouteffect, but when said Wheels are stationary, as in the course of animprinting operation, and

after th e platen hammers have struck the' same to effect an imprintingof the long line,

the zero numerals thereon are in one line and directly above said hammerplatens.

To rotate the shaft 9 from the handle there is provided fast on saidshaft a gear 175 (Fig. 6) cooperating with a gear 177 fast on the shaft85 referred to and having a partially smooth and partially toothedcircumference. To maintain normally stationary the gear 17 5\and itsshaft 9, said gear 175 is provided with a circumferential concavity 179adapted to be engaged bythe smooth portion of the gear 1 7. As a resultWhile the smooth portion engages said concavity the gear 17 5.will belocked against rotation, but the gear 177 will be free to be rotated andits toothed portion may be brought into mesh with the gear 175. The

gear 177 is twice as large as the gear 175 and has teeth throughout anarc of 180 degrees, so that on a half rotation of the gear shaft 85 maybe rotated to transmit suffireset the amount, cost and discount costgroups C, D and E to zero. The gear 177 is driven from the handlethrough the gears 89 and 87 and shaft 85 referred to,.and the gears 175and 177 are so arranged that the cient rotation to the hammer actuatingcam to effect the printing of the long line before the toothed portionof the gear 177 will be brought into mesh with the gear 175, whereuponthe latter is turneda complete rotation to reset said groups to zero asabove described.

It will be recalled that the long line in cludes not only an imprint ofthe meter number, amount, cost and discount cost groups, but also thepast reading of the meter as had by a printingimpression taken from theprinting wheels of the B group which have remained stationary all thetime since the taking of the last record. To move this normallystationary group of wheels to positions corresponding to the sightwheels, the latter are given a complete rotation sothat they return tothe positions which they had before this rotation. Means is provided forpicking up, during the course a of this rotation, the normallystationary wheels andthereby bringing the latter to positionscorresponding to the sight wheels. To this end each .of the sight wheelsis provided with a pawl 181' pivotally' mounted therein and having aheel 183 pressed into engagement with the ratchet sleeve 19 re ferred toby a spring 185. This pawl also ,has a toe or offset free end 189projecting through an aperture in said sight wheel and adapted forengagement with a lug 191 projecting from a face of the print wheeladjacent thereto.

The sight wheels as driven step-by-step from the meter are turned in aclock-wise direction and the shaft 9, and ratchet sleeve.

19, being maintained normally stationary, cause the pawl heel 183 towipe in and out of the spaces between the ratchet teeth and impart arocking movement to said pawl toe 189 so that in the course of theadvance of the wheel, when the'paw-l reaches the lug 191; of thestationary print wheel, it

will dodge the same and leave said wheelv stationary, but when. theshaft 9 is turned to reset the amount, dost and discount cost groups C,D and E, to zero, the pawl 181 will not rock but its heel will remainbetween teeth of said ratchet and as a result the wheel carrying thesame will be conneoted to said ratchet and will be turned therewith in aclock-wise direction. In the course of this movement the toe of saidpawl will not dodge the lug. of the normally stationary wheel adjacentthereto, but will engage and pick up the same and move said wheel to aposition corresponding with its are so moved they are in positions inreadimess to be struck by thehammers to print on the short line thepresent reading of the meter. In-order that the print wheels may resentnumbers down opposite the platens or at the printing point the same asnumbers on the sight wheels opposite the sight apertures located 90degrees from the printing point, the pawl toes of the sight wheels and,the lugs of the print wheels may be arranged oti'set on their wheelsrelatively to their numerals, to position said wheels as described. 1

From the above it will be. seen that a complete rotation of the shaft 9by the handle through the connections described has the open bearings193 in said side plates 11 as shown in Figs. 3, 4, 6 and 7, and may benormally retained therein by side plates a reinforcing plate 197extending along and secured to the front of the fixed casing. It

will be observed that the whole mechanism containedin the fixed casingis carried by the sideplates 11 which are mounted on the base of thecasing 1. To substitute wheels on the shaft 9 it is, therefore, merelynecessary to detach and lift the top and sides of the casingas a wholefrom said base, whereupon'the open bearing closing plates .195 will belifted from the shaft'9 and the latter may be readily lifted out of itsopen bearings and the wheels thereon may be removedand replaced asdesired.

Any suitable formof record vsheet may be employed in the nachine and mayhave any suitable printed matter or spacing desired. Preferably therecord sheets emnloyed will be of thin paper folded in two ply form withcarbon sheets interposed between to produce. duplicate records,-one tobe kept by the company and the other to be handed to the customer.As'shown herein the record sheet is divided into five spacescorresponding to the A, B, C, D and E '195 overlying said shaft and bentin from groups for receiving imprints of the meter number, the presentand last readings, the

amount used, the regular bill-and the discount bill. In the illustrativerecord sheet shown in Fig. 15 the meter number was 4,160, the lastreading was 6,000 cubic feet, the present reading was 12,000 cubic feet,the

S ght h el. When all of the print whe ls amount for the last month, orthe difference,- :1'

count cost at a rate cubic feet.

between the present, andlast readings, was 6,000 cubic feet, the cost ata rate of $1 per thousand cubicffeet was $6 and the dis of 95 perthousand cubic feet was $5.70. I

From the previous description, it will be apparent that theregister-wheels do not move continuously with the meter, but are drivenstep-by-step. therefrom. It is found convenient to advance the registerone stepafter 100 cubic feet of gas has passed through the meter.- Theamount group B will therefore addincrements of 100 cubic feet. Since theamount for a month or other period will always be a certain number ofhundred cubic feetthere will always be zeros in the units and tensplaces of the number. To reduce" the number of registerwheels necessary,wheels need not be included in the register for printing said zeros, butthe latter may be previously printed and form a part of the form ofrecord sheet used.

Gas rates vary from time to time, but are usually in multiples of 5; asfor example, 50, 60, 05, 85, 90, or 95 per 1000 In 100there are 20increments of 5. In order that a complete rotation of a wheel of thecost groups may provide total of an even hundred or hundreds, for

,the various rates based on multiples of 5,

the wheels used preferably contain twenty numeral lugs instead of ten.Since there are twenty numeral lugs on the wheels of the cost groups,for the sake of uniformity it is desirable to have a similar number ofnumeral lugs on all of the other groups.

To explain the way in which the machine automatically computes the costof the amount of gas or other service used, it may be supposed that the,gas rate is 90 per 1000 cubic feet of gas. The costof 100 cubic feetwould therefore be 9. There; fore when the amount register B advanced astep corresponding to 100 cubic feet the cost register C may be advanceda step presenting 9, and preferably the steps of the two registers aresimultaneous. Thus when the amount and cost registers have each ad-.vanced their first increments a record therefrom would show that 100cubic feet ofv gas has been consumed and that the cost thereof was 9.When they have advanced their second increments a record therefrom wouldshow that 200 cubic feet of gas .has been consumed and the cost thereofwas 18, etc. If the rate instead of being-90 per v 1000 cubicifeet is 95per 1000 cubic feet, the cost for 100 cubic feet would be 9%. Toeliminate fractions of cents in registering such a rate, anincrementof-9J is not added, but

instead thereof alternate increments of 9 and 10, the mean ofwhichobviously is 9-}. As a result, the deficiency caused by the reduced ratein one place 1s made up by the order to greater rate in another placeand a slight deficiency in the cost of one record will be compensatedfor by a greater cost in another record, and therefore the rate sofigured is entirely practical.

' As shown herein the discount cost is computed'at'a rate of 95 per 1000cubic feet and illustrates the varying or alternately different ratesreferred .to above. To illustrate the arrangement. of the numerals onthe hundredths wheel of the discount group employing such rate,reference may be had to Figs. 16 and 17 of the drawing wherein are shownsheet metal members 197 and 197 of the hundredths wheel of the discountcost group D, one of said members having radial numeral lugs 199 thereonand the other having a flange 201for receiving said lugs. Said lugs areshown in Fig. 16 bent into the plane of the body of the member inreadily disclose the numerals thereon. The flange member is providedbetween lugs with carrying apertures 203 between each of the lugsthereon (with one exception at 205) for permitting a. long tooth of thecomb tooth driving arm to drop and permit the engagement of the nextadjacent and shorter tooth with the tenths wheel .to advance the lattera step each time that the hundredths wheel is advanced a step exceptingwhen the hundredths wheel is being advanced from zero to 9, when ofcourse'it is not necessary to advance the tenths wheel an increment, theflange portion 205 preventing such advance. On the first incrementadvance of said hundredths wheel 9 will be presented oppo 'site theprinting point; on the second increment advance the long tooth of thecomb arm will drop into one of the apertures 203 and will simultaneouslyadvance the hundredths and tenths wheels increments (adding 10),presenting 19 at the printing point. On the third increment advance saidlong tooth will drop again and both the hundredths and tenths wheelswill be advanced another increment (adding 9) and 28 will be broughtopposite the printing point. And so on. alternate incrementsof 9 and 10will be added until the completion of a rotation of the hundredthswheel, whereupon the total cost registered will be $1.90. The numbers orcost values thus cubic feet the rate of each 100 cubic'feet would be 10.It is not essential to provide a wheel for printing each time the zerowhich would occur in the hundredths place,

and therefore the zero of such place may be previously printed 1 and bea part of the record sheet form used. Also the dollar sign and decimalpoints may be previously printed and form parts of the form of recordsheet used.

The meter of each customer will be provided with a fixed casing and itscontained mechanism, said casing being preferably permanently secured tothe casing of the meter with the bevel gear 27 of the register drivingshaft in mesh with a corresponding gear on the meter, whereupon thesight wheels of the B group and the wheels of the amount, cost anddiscount cost groups C, D and E may be advanced stepby-step by the crankshaft and its comb toothed arms.

A representative of the gas company will be provided with the portableprinting unit mechanism and will visit each customer and take a recordfrom the register in the fixed casing of each meter in the followingmannert First, a record sheet will be selected from the supply containedin the record sheet magazine and will be introduced into the recordsheet receiving tray 109. The key portion of the handle is thenintroduced tothe key-hole 7 5 and the button 95 is pressed .to withdrawthe stop pin 91 from the gear slot 87 permitting the gear 87 to beturned by the gear 89. The initial turning movement of the handle willcause the cam 69 to unlock the dog 63 from the door 59. is thenpresented to and pressed on the door against the resistance of itsspring and slipped into the casing until arrested by engagement of itsend with the stops 170. On the occurrence of this event the cam drivinggears 159 will have been brought into mesh with the transmission gears99 in the fixed casing. In the course of the insertion of the portablecasing into the fixed casing the inclines 131 of the side guides 129will wipe along the upper edge of the opening of the fixed casing anddepress the record sheet receiving tableagainst the resistance of itsspring until the abrupt shoulders of said guides pass beyond saidopening edge,

whereupon the table springs upwardly, thereby locking the portablecasing in the fixed casing. To remove the portable casing from the fixedcasing it is merely neces sary to press the table downwardly against theresistance of its ,spring sufiiciently to remove said shoulders fromengagement with the opening edge. Also the door spring will tend topress the door and por table casing upwardly and present a frictionalresistance to accidental displacement or withdrawal of the portablecasing from the fixed casing. I

Continued rotation of the handle will effeet the following series ofoperations:

1 First, the initial rotation of the handle 85 The open end oftheportable casing r the gear slot 87*.

viding they are not already in such positions. Second, the rotation ofthe shaft 85 will transmit rotation to the hammer actuating cam gears157 and by the pins 1.65 thereof and the depending arm 163 of the recordsheet receiving tray, make certain that the tray is in proper positionfor the long line imprint including the meter number, pastrreading,amount, cost and discount cost readings. Third, continued rotation ofthe handle. will cause the long notch 147 to reach the hammer heels 141and release the same to the action of their springs for printing thelong line referred to. Fourth, continued rotation of said handle willcause the teeth of the partially toothed wheel 177 to come into meshwith the teeth of the gear 175 and impart thereto a complete rotation,causing the resetting of the amount, cost and discount cost groups C, Dand E to zero and the setting of the normally stationary print wheels ofgroup B to positions corresponding with the sight wheels giving thepresent reading of the meter. But while this setting rotation occurs theprint cam is rotated, causing a cylindrical portion thereof to engagethe heels of the printing hammers and causing the short notch toapproach said heels, Fifth, in the course of this rotation the pins 167of the cam driving gears 159 engage the depending arms 163 of the recordsheet tray 111 and move the same to the right (Fig. 3) a line space.Sixth, continued rotation of said shaft brings the short notch of thecam opposite the hammer heels and releases the hammers to make arecordfof the present reading of the meter above the last readingthereof. The handle may be rotated slightly farther to permit acylindrical portion of the cam to engage the hammer heels and energizethe hammers, whereupon further rotation of the handle will be reventedby the springing of the pin 91 Fig. 7) into On occurrence of this eventthe flat side of the door lock dog cam 69 will be opposite the actuatingarm of said dog, whereupon the portable casing may be withdrawn from thefixed casing, the removal thereof permitting the door 59 to be rocked byits spring 51 to closed position, where it is locked by the dropping ofthe dog 63 behind the same. The portable casing is then carried tothemeter of the next customer to be visited, where the operare preferablystamped from sheet metal and therefore may be manufactured on a largescale very cheaply, and the provision of one printing unit common to andfor progressive application to a series "of fixed register units furthercheapens the construction.

The machine is simple in construction, effective and certain inoperation.

In machines of this nature it is important that they should be immunefrom tampering and should give assurance to the customer that the billspresented to him accurately record the amount of service for the "ariousperiods.

The provision of mechanism for automatically recording the present andlast readings on one statement in one operation is a very advantageousfeature since the customercan take two successivebills and by theircomparison determine whether the last reading of the later one tallieswith the present reading of the older one. As a result he has anabsolute check on the gas company and has no feeling of uncertaintyregarding the authenticity of his bills such as at present exists amongpatrons of gas companies. Another advantageous feature of this machineis the fact that the customer, upon receipt of a bill, may at oncecompare it with the meter reading itself.

It will be understood that all of the features of the mechanism need notbe used conjointly, but that for some purposes some features thereof maybe used separately to ad vantage. If desired, the printing mechanismshown herein instead of being mounted in a portable casing may bepermanently mounted in the fixed casing without any substantial changein the mechanism.

Having described one illustrative embodiment of the invention withoutlimiting the same thereto, what I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A meter register comprising, in vcombination, a manually operableshaft, a group of register wheels driven by a meter, a group of normallystationary printing wheels, all said wheels loosely mounted on saidshaft, and means consisting of mechanisms interposed between saidprinting wheels and said shaft whereby operation of said shaft movesdetermined ones of said printing wheels to a recording position whichcorresponds with the position indicated by said register wheels, fortransferring the reading of said register wheels to said printingwheels, and means including platens which are operated by the operationof said shaft, for making a record from said printing wheels, before andafter said transfer.

2. A meter recorder comprising, in combination, a shaft, a ratchetsleeve fast thereon, a group of registering wheels driven stepby-stepfrom the meter and a pawl on each of said registering wheels having aheel for engagement with said ratchet and adapted to be rocked on eachstep movement of its wheel, a group of normally stationary Wheels havinglugs in the path of the pawls of said registering wheels avoided by therocking of said pawls on the step advance of said registering wheels,but engaged by said pawls on the rotation of said registering wheelsthrough said sleeve and pawls.

3. The combination of a register, a meter driven shaft, a'crank shaft,means for trans mitting movements from said crank shaft to saidregister, means for taking a record from said register and means totransmit the drive from said meter driven shaft to said crank shaft,said means having provision operated by said record taking means foradvancing said crank shaft momentarily ahead of said meter driven shaft.

at. The combination of a register, a meter driven shaft having a wormthereon, a shaft having a worm wheel loose thereon driven by said worm,means to transmit movements from said worm wheel shaft to said register,means to drive said worm wheel shaft from said worm wheel and havingprovision permitting said latter shaft to be advanced ahead of saidmeter driven shaft and means to take a record from said register havingprovision for advancing said worm wheel shaft ahead of said meter drivenshaft.

5. The combination of a meter driven shaft, a worm on said shaft, a wormwheel intermes hing with said worm and having a lug projecting from aface thereof, a shaft, an arm fast on said shaft for engagement withsaid lug, to transmit rotation from said worm wheel to said shaft, aregister having numerals thereon, means to drive said register from saidworm wheel driven shaft and means to take a record from said registerhaving provision for advancing said shaft arm ahead of said worm wheellug to prevent rotation of said shaft from said meter driven shaftduring a record taking operation.

6. The combination of a casing, a meter driven register therein, a doorin said casing,

means comprising a cam driven dog to lock said door. a portable recordtaking unit for introduction through said door into said casing to takea record from said register and means comprising a shaft, a cam and ahandle adapted to turn said shaft'and cam, for unlocking said door andcooperating with said unit foreffecting a record taking operation afterthe introduction of said unit into said casing.

7. The combination of a casing, a register therein and a portable recordtaking mechanism for introduction to said register and comprising platenmeans and cam means for operating the same; and gear means carriedpartly by said casing and partly wlth said portable mechanism foroperatmg said cam means from said casing.

8. The combination of a casing for fixed relation with a meter, aregister in said casing, a portable record taking mechanism forintroduction tosaid register and com prising platen means and means foractuating the latter including a gear; and a gear in said casing forengagement therewith for operating said platen means from said casing.

9. The combination of a register; and means to take readings of presentand last readings of said register including record sheet receivingmeans and means for automatically feeding the latter a line space duringthe interval between the recording of the present and last readings ofsaid register.

10. The combination of a normally stationary shaft, registers'carriedthereby, a gear fast on said shaft and having a pcripheral concavity, asecond shaft, a gear having a toothed portion and a smooth portion forlocking engagement with said concavity, means to drive said registersfrom a meter, a normally stationary register having characters thereoncorresponding to one of said registers, means to take a record from allof said registers and means operating through said gears and shafts forresetting some of said registers to zero, and moving said normallystationaryoregister to a position corresponding to one of said meterdriven registers, said record taking means having provision for-taking arecord from said normally stationary register in its latter position.

11. The combination of a normally stationary shaft, registers carried bysaid shaft, means to drive said registers from a meter, a registernormally stationary to register a a last reading, means to move the sameto register the present reading, means to take a record from all of saidregisters, means to return some of said registers to zero and move saidnormally stationary register to a position corresponding to the presentreading of the meter, and means to take a record from said normallystationary register in its new position. v

12. The combination of a normally sta tionary shaft, a group of wheelscarried thereby, means to drive said wheels from a meter, another groupof wheels carried by said shaft and normally stationary to register thelast reading of the meter, means to move said normally stationary groupto a position corresponding with the present reading of said other groupand means to take a record from said normally stationary group beforeand after it is so moved.

13. The combination of a shaft, a group of wheels thereon, means todrive the same from a meter, a normally stationary group of wheels onsaid shaft, means including a gear fast on said shaft and a partiallytoothed gear cooperating therewith for moving said statlonary groupfroma positionrepresentmeagre inga past to a position representing apresent reading of the meter, and means to take records from saidnormally stationary group before and after it is so moved.

14. The combination of a shaft, a group of register wheels thereon,means to drive said wheels from a meter, a group of normally stationarywheels on said shaft and means to move said normally stationary wheelsfrom a position representing the past to a position representing thepresent reading of the meter and including a gear fast on said shafthaving a peripheral concavity and a partially toothed gear having asmooth portion for engagement with said concavity to hold the latterstationary, and

means to rotate said partially toothed gear to move said 1 normallystationary group from a position representing a past to a positionrepresenting a present reading of the meter, and means to take a recordfrom said normally stationary group before and after it is so moved.

15. The combination of a shaft, register wheels carried thereby, andmeans to drive the same from a meter, normally stationary registerwheels on said shaft and means to move the latter from a positionrepresenting the past to a position representing the present reading ofthe meter including a gear fast on said shaft, a partially toothed gearand means for taking a record from said normally stationary wheelsbefore they are moved, means for rotating said partially toothed gear tomove said normally stationary wheels to positions corresponding withsaid meter driven wheels, and means for taking a record from the formerafter they are so moved.

16. The combination of a shaft, a group record from the former after itis so advanced.

17. The combination of a shaft, a register thereon-normally stationaryto present the last reading of a meter, a meter driven register on saidshaft, means simultaneously to take a record from both of saidregisters, means to reset said meter driven registers,

to zero, means to advance said normally a stationary register an amountcorresponding to the last period of advance of said meter drivenregister, and means 'to take a record from said normally stationaryregister after it is so moved.

18. The combination of a shaft, a group of wheels thereon normallystationary to l I represent a past reading of a meter, groups of wheelson said shaft for registering the amount and cost of service, meanssimultaneously to take a record from all of said groups, means to resetsaid amount and cost groups to zero, means to advance said normallystationary wheels an amount corresponding to the last advance of saidamount wheels, and means to take a record from said normally stationarywheels after they are so advanced.

19. The combination of a shaft, a group of wheels thereon normallystationary to represent a past reading of a meter, groups of wheels onsaid shaft, for registering the amount, cost and discount costofservice, means to take a record from all of said groups, means toreset said amount, cost and lscount cost groups to zero, means toadvance said normally stationary wheels an amount corresponding to thelast advance of said amount roup, andmeans to take a record from saidnormally stationary wheels after they are so advanced.

20. The combination of hollow register wheels driven by a meter,normally stationary wheels having lugs thereon, and pawls pivotallymounted within said hollow register wheels and adapted to engage saidlugs to transfer a reading from said register wheels to said normallystationary wheels.

21. The combination of a normally stationary shaft, hollow registerwheels loose thereon driven by a meter, normally stationary wheelshaving lugs thereon, and pawls pivotally mounted within said hollowregister wheels, and adapted for engagement with said lugs to transfer areading from register wheels to said normally stationary wheels, andsprings for pressing said pawls into engagement with said ratchet.

- 22. The combination of register wheels driven by a meter, normallystationary wheels, means operable through said register wheels formoving said register wheels without changing their position relative toeach other and by said moving transferring a reading thereof to saidnormally stationary wheels, and means to take arecord from said normallystationary wheels before and after said transfer.

23. The combination of a register driven by a meter, a normallystationary recording register,'mean's for transferring a reading fromsaid meter driven register to said recording register with merelymomentary loss'of the reading of said meter driven register, and meansfor taking a reading from said recording register before and after suchtransfer.

24. In a. machine of the class described, the combination of a wheelcomprising a numeral lug carrying. member, a flanged member cooperatingtherewith, a ratchet and a spring pressed pawl pivotally mounted withinsaid wheel between said members and having an end pressed by said springinto engagement with said ratchet, and an end for effecting a transferoperation.

25. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a ratchet,numeral carrying wheels, one having a. lug projecting from the facethereof and the other having a spring pressed pawl pivotally mountedwithin. the same, said pawl having an end pressed by said spring intoengagement with said ratchet and an end for engagement with said lug onrotation of said ratchet fortransferrlng a reading of one of said wheelsto the other.

26. In a machine of the class described, the combination of wheels, eachcomprising a numeral lug carrying member and a flanged member spacedapart, a ratchet, a projection on one of said wheels, a pawl pivotallymounted between members of another of said wheels and having an end forengagement with said ratchet and a free end adapted to engage saidprojection and transfera reading from one of said wheels to the other.

'27. In a machine of the class described, the combination of anelongated ratchet, wheels loosely mounted thereon each comprising anumeral lug carrying member and a flanged member secured thereto, a lugon one of said wheels and a pawl pivotally mounted within said otherwheel and having a spring pressed end for engagement with said ratchetand a free end projecting outside of said wheel for engagement with saidlug for transferring the reading from one of said wheels to the other.

28. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a ratchet,numeral wheels each comprising sheet metal members spaced to provide achamber between them, a lug projecting from one of said wheels and apawl pivotally mounted within the other and having a spring pressed endfor engagement withv said ratchet and a free end for engagement withsaid lug to transfer a reading from one of said wheels to the other.

29. A meter recorder comprising, in combination, a register adapted tobe driven by a meter, a casing containing said register and having adoor therein, locking means for said door; record taking mechanismcomprising platen means, means for controlling the same, record sheetreceiving means, means for feedlng the latter a line space and a handleinitially movable to unlock said door and further movable to operatesaid record taking mechanism.

30. A meter recorder comprising, in combination, registers adapted to bedriven from a meter and record taking mechanism comprising platen means,means for taking suc-

